Desired State Research Articles

A futurology of the sustainable development process of Hormozgan Province, Iran

Sustainable development has received unprecedented attention in the 21st century, necessitating meticulous planning and coordination across economic, social, and cultural domains to ensure equitable resource utilization for both current and future generations. This investigation centers on the sustainable development process in Hormozgan Province, utilizing a futurology approach to pinpoint influential factors in sustainability. Employing documentary and survey methods, the study collected data through questionnaires and interviews with development experts in the region. A mixed-methods analysis, integrating qualitative and quantitative techniques, was conducted, employing the MICMAC technique for data analysis and the Scenario wizard software to generate and evaluate scenarios. The research identified eight critical factors shaping the prospects of sustainable development in Hormozgan Province. These factors produced 27 probabilities, subsequently categorized into 12 plausible and 4 highly probable scenarios within the province's development plan. The probability analysis indicated a prevailing inclination towards desirable and ideal states in the realm of sustainable development for Hormozgan Province. This investigation contributes valuable insights into the landscape of sustainable development, underscoring the significance of addressing underlying factors for effective implementation. The identified factors and scenarios provide a roadmap for policymakers to foster sustainability and prosperity in Hormozgan Province. Ultimately, this research emphasizes the pressing need for sustainable development planning in today's world. By capitalizing on the potential of futurology and well-informed decision-making, Hormozgan Province can pave the way towards a sustainable future for its populace and future generations. The outcomes of this study call upon all stakeholders to collaborate responsibly, working towards a more sustainable and flourishing society.

Multirate feedforward control with mode decomposition for intersample performance in multivariable motion systems

Multirate feedforward control enables perfect tracking control for the desired state trajectory at every sample as the same number of the model order. The aim of this paper is the comparison of perfect tracking control approaches for intersample performance in multi-modal motion systems. The multirate feedforward control has a trade-off between the number of states for perfect tracking control and the reference sampling frequency. To balance the trade-off, the states for the perfect tracking control can be selected by the mode decomposition. Intersample performance of each approach in a multi-modal motion system is compared in both frequency domain and time domain.

Passivity-based analysis and design for population dynamics with conformity biases

This paper focuses on conformity bias, a kind of bounded rationality of humans, and addresses the two fundamental questions: How does the bias affect decision making by large population from a control theoretic viewpoint, and how can we lead the biased decision makers to a desired state? We approach these issues based on the notion of passivity. To this end, we first formulate two population dynamics with conformity biases. The models are then analyzed based on so-called δ-passivity, where it is revealed that the conformity biases work to break passivity of decision makers. Based on the passivity perspective, we propose mechanisms so as to lead decision makers to a desired population state. Furthermore, we analyze convergence properties of the designed mechanisms while revealing conditions for guaranteeing stable inducements.

The Art of Strategic Conversation: Surveillance, AI, and the IMAJINE Scenarios

In this dialogue, we explore the use of scenarios to inform thinking about the surveillant dimensions of AI systems. The aim is neither to predict times to come nor express a desired state, but to manufacture contrasting future visions that challenge assumptions existing in the present. To consider these issues, we convened four researcher-practitioners—Carissa Véliz, Malka Older, Annina Lux, and Matthew Finch—whose work encompasses AI and privacy ethics, strategic foresight, philosophy, social science, and the writing of science fiction.

The viability of cooperative societies from the anarchist- cybernetics perspective: a systematic review of the field and research opportunities

Introduction: This article is part of an ongoing research project that started in 2022 and investigates the viability of cooperative associations from an anarchist-cybernetics perspective at the Universidad del Valle, Department of Administrative Sciences. Problem: Management Cybernetics and anarchism are fields with significant coincidences regarding organisational theory. From the point of view of anarchism, voluntary organisation is a form of exercising individualfreedom, while in cybernetics, autonomy is the desirable state of organisation. Objective: The article aims to identify the current state of academic development in the field of anarchist-cybenetics, specifically around the concepts of “autogestión”, “self-management” and “self-control”. Methodology: The article proposes a systematic literature review of the last 10 years in nine academic datbases. Results: The field presents research on radical political groups but lacks research on voluntary organisations such as cooperatives. The predominant research methods used are qualitative for empirical research, and non-empirical research is relevant in this field. Latin America and the developing economies are interesting fields for future development. Case studies and the historical method are relevant for the study of anarchy, and Beer ́s VSM is the most used tool for cybernetics in this field. Conclusion: The field appears to be of great interest for various multi-decade old journals. Originality: This is one of the few research projects to link the organisational side of anarchism and management cybernetics. Anarchist-cybernetics is a novel subject after almost 60 years of not having any academic publications. Limitations: As a novel subject, not many publications fit the requirements for the review.

Enhancing Supply Chain Resilience in Coal Mining: A Comprehensive Systematic Literature Review to Managing Disruptions

Supply chain risk and uncertainty are critical factors that impact coal mining operations. Risks can arise from various sources such as natural disasters, supplier disruptions, market fluctuations, regulatory changes, and geopolitical uncertainties (Marzouk et al., 2022; Pettersen-Sobczyk, 2018). Managing these risks involves identifying, assessing, and implementing measures to mitigate and minimize potential losses. Uncertainties, on the other hand, stem from the lack of predictability or knowledge about future events and outcomes. They represent a level of unpredictability and the potential for surprises or unexpected events that can impact the supply chain. Overcoming uncertainties requires a resilient supply chain capable of preparing for unexpected events, responding to disruptions, and recovering from them while maintaining operational continuity (Adobor, 2020; Gunasekaran et al., 2015). Resilience capability allows a company to restore its operations to their original or desired state after being disturbed (Chowdhury & Quaddus, 2017). However, despite the abundance of literature proposing resilience frameworks in supply chain management, their application within the context of coal mining remains relatively limited (Agrawal & Pingle, 2020; Belhadi et al., 2022). Existing research in the field of coal mining has primarily focused on operational efficiency, cost reduction, and production optimization, with limited attention given to the concept of resilience. Therefore, this research aims to address this gap by developing a comprehensive resilience framework specifically tailored to the mining supply chain, with a focus on coal mining company. By incorporating the unique characteristics and challenges of the mining industry, such as geological uncertainties, complex extraction processes, and environmental regulations, this framework will provide valuable insights and strategies for enhancing the resilience capabilities of coal mining company. Keywords: Supply chain resilience, Coal mining, Disruptioin, Risk mitigation, Systematic literature review

PENGARUH CITRA MEREK, KUALITAS PRODUK DAN DESAIN PRODUK TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN LUWAK WHITE COFFEE DI KOTA BATAM

Various initiatives were carried out by the company to boost product sales to meet consumer demand. When a person recognizes a need in general and wants in particular, the buying process occurs. The difference between the desired state and the existing condition begins to register in the person's consciousness. Because everyone has different points of reference and attitudes towards goods, one's buying behavior can be said to be unique. Brand Image, Product Quality and Product Design are existing factors that can influence purchasing decisions. The sampling technique uses simple random sampling. For data collection purposes, the researcher distributed questionnaires, which contained a list of questions that had to be answered by the participants. The method used in the findings contained in this study is a quantitative-based research by conducting multiple linear analysis. The results of research based on a study will certainly be able to prove that brand image, product quality and product design have a significant effect on purchasing decisions for Luwak White Coffee in Batam City.

Reversible Transformations of Palladium–Indium Intermetallic Nanoparticles upon Repetitive Redox Treatments in H2/O2

The transformations of chemical states and structures occurring in the PdIn/Al2O3 catalyst upon redox treatments in different gaseous atmospheres at different temperatures are addressed by an assortment of in situ bulk- (XRD) and surface-sensitive (XPS and DRIFTS CO) techniques. Any desired state of the catalyst between two opposite extremes of highly dispersed oxide species and regularly ordered PdIn intermetallic compound could be set in fully controlled and reversible ways by selecting appropriate conditions for the reductive treatment starting from the fully oxidized state. Since mutual conversions of multi-atomic Pdn centers into single-site Pd1 centers are involved in these transformations, the methodology could be used to find an optimum balance between the activity and selectivity of the catalytic system.

Development of directed energy deposition strategy for a mechanically interlocked pure Ti and Al alloy component with cross-shaped internal pure Ti lattice

Directed energy deposition (DED) using multi-metal materials typically employs a metallurgical bonding approach. The components using titanium (Ti) and aluminum (Al) alloys have attracted significant interest in aerospace and automotive industries due to their ability to decrease fuel consumption through lightweight construction. However, DED using Ti and Al alloys that are difficult to fusion-bond is plagued by the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds. In particular, the deposition of a Ti alloy layer on that of Al alloy decreases the mechanical property of the entire component. This study developed a DED strategy using wire and arc discharge for the mechanical interlocking of pure Ti ERTi-2 and Al alloy ER5356. First, the effects of heat input, fabrication paths, and arc locations on the interface and composition of the adjacent beads were clarified. A fabrication strategy was developed to achieve the desired fusion state and avoid collision between welding torch-fabricated component. A mechanical interlocked component with an internal ERTi-2 cross-shaped lattice and planar ERTi-2 surface layers was successfully fabricated. In addition, these results demonstrate that the developed fabrication strategy can be applied to the other metal combinations that are difficult to fusion-bond. Subsequently, X-ray computed tomography clarified that the internal ERTi-2 lattice was fabricated in the target geometry. Tensile tests were carried out using the mechanical interlocked components with an internal cross-shaped unit lattice. The yield and ultimate tensile strength were 45.1 ± 3.4 MPa and 55.5 ± 4.6 MPa, respectively. These values and the fracture positions were in good agreement with the predictions from the mechanical properties of the used materials and the lattice geometry. Hence, this study underscores the potential of mechanical interlocking to improve the mechanical properties of the multi-metal components that pose challenges for fusion-bonding.

Control limit for the quantum state preparation under stochastic control errors

We investigate the effect of stochastic control errors on the Hamiltonian that controls a closed quantum system. Quantum information technologies require careful control for preparing a desired state used as an information resource. However, because the stochastic control errors inevitably appear in realistic situations, it is difficult to completely implement the control Hamiltonian. Under this error, the actual performance of quantum control is far away from the ideal one, and thus it is of great importance to evaluate the effect of the control errors. In this paper, we derive a lower bound of the fidelity between two closed quantum systems obeying the dynamics with and without errors. This bound reveals a reachable and unreachable set of the controlled quantum system under stochastic noises. Also, it is easily computable without considering the stochastic process and needing the full dynamics of the states. We demonstrate the actual performance of this bound via a simple control example. Furthermore, based on this result, we quantitatively evaluate the probability of obtaining the target state in the presence of control errors.

Methodological approaches to assessing digital maturity of logistics activities of pharmaceutical enterprises

The aim: development of methodological approaches to assessing the digital maturity of the logistics activity of a pharmaceutical enterprise and elaboration of the proposed methodology on the example of those domestic enterprises that have a developed logistics system and some experience in the implementation of digital technologies in logistics activities.
 Materials and methods: Research was conducted using databases on the Internet: the European Center for Information Systems Research, the European Medicines Agency, and scientific and metric databases - Scopus, Web of Science. Logical, systematic analysis and synthesis, graphic methods of research, and methods of mathematical and statistical analysis (expert, pair correlation and taxonomic) were used.
 The results. An analysis of the state of implementation of digital technologies was carried out on the example of domestic pharmaceutical enterprises, which have been the leaders of the pharmaceutical market in recent years. It is substantiated that the assessment of digital maturity is a mandatory prerequisite for the digital transformation of pharmaceutical market entities. The existing models of digital maturity assessment are analyzed, and their shortcomings are identified. Based on this, a methodology for assessing the digital maturity of the logistics activities of pharmaceutical enterprises is proposed. An algorithm for the practical implementation of the methodology for assessing the digital maturity of the logistics activity of pharmaceutical enterprises is proposed. Based on the application of the proposed methodological approaches for assessing digital maturity using the taxonomic method, the calculation of the integral indicator of the level of digital maturity of the logistics activity of domestic pharmaceutical enterprises was carried out. The priorities for the implementation of digital technologies in the logistics activities of pharmaceutical enterprises were determined depending on the degree of their digital maturity.
 Conclusions. It has been proven that the digital transformation of the logistics activities of pharmaceutical enterprises is a complex process that must consider many factors of the internal and external environment of the pharmaceutical enterprise. It is impossible to form a strategy and make decisions about investing in digital technologies without first assessing your real opportunities and weak points of the enterprise. That is why the assessment of the existing level of digital maturity is an important step on the way to the systematic digitalization of the logistics activities of a pharmaceutical enterprise. The proposed methodical approaches to assessing the digital maturity of the logistics activity of pharmaceutical enterprises will allow to form a holistic view of the real level of digital maturity of a certain enterprise and its deviation from the desired state, determine the priority directions for increasing the level of digital maturity, based on the specifics of the logistics activity of a particular pharmaceutical enterprise, and develop a sound digital strategy to improve the performance of both the individual business and the pharmaceutical supply chain

Green logistics operations and its impact on supply chain sustainability: An empirical study

AbstractThis study aims to understand the impact of green logistics operations on the sustainability of supply chains. It is an experimental, numerical analysis carried out in an Indian industrial setting to derive some empirical truths, which have profound implications for the community of professional practice and academic and policy research towards inclusiveness in ecological governance. The analysis is centred on a conceptual model based on causal interdependencies. This model conceives stakeholders' demands from the outside in the form of numerous environmental, economic and social externalities triggering pressures for integrating innovative sustainable responses in logistics operations in the supply chain to eventuate desirable state transformation of the society, environment and economy. The model, as proposed, is validated through primary data collected through a structured questionnaire survey from Indian logistics service providers (LSPs) and analysed through structural equation modelling (SEM) with coding in the R engine platform. The empirical result shows that sustainable performance is influenced less by green practices than logistics operations, and the direct impact of logistics operations is much less on green practices than on supply chain sustainability. This study attempts to study contemporary sustainability practices. It transcends to contribute towards regenerative inclusive human welfare, adding the scope of activity from merely environmental management to sustainability in ecological governance.

Time-varying finite-time synchronization analysis of attack-induced uncertain neural networks

In this study, we investigate the time-varying finite-time synchronization of attack-induced uncertain neural networks. We propose a novel time-varying finite-time control scheme to achieve network synchronization. The proposed control employs a time-varying control gain that remains positive and bound when averaged over a specific time period. Moreover, our method takes into consideration various factors that can induce uncertainties in neural networks, including both unconscious internal and external influences, as well as deliberate attacks. By leveraging the classical Lyapunov method, we derive a new finite-time lemma and establish sufficient criteria for ensuring that all neural states of the networks synchronize to a desired state within the settling time. Through numerical simulations, we validate the efficacy of our proposed method.

Digital Transformation of Education: Design of a “Project-Based Teaching” Service Platform to Promote the Integration of Production and Education

The integration of production and education represents a common paradigm for vocational education development globally. In this study, project-based teaching serves as a crucial pedagogical model. However, the manifestation of this model in Chinese undergraduate vocational institutions has yet to reach the desired state of integration. The objective of this research is to advance the concept, service model, and platform framework for project-based teaching service design through empirical research by utilizing the Double-Diamond process of service design. The aim is to address service pain points for stakeholders against the backdrop of project-based teaching with the integration of production and education, thereby enhancing service qualvrt[ity. Five critical areas were identified, leading to the proposition of service concepts such as platforms for information communication, fund management, teaching management, auditing/evaluation management, and promotion management. The effectiveness and recommendation levels of the digital service concepts were validated via a Net Promoter Score survey involving 100 stakeholders. This research features targeted discussions and suggestions regarding a conceptual digital service platform. The five service concepts derived from this research may serve as specific digital designs for applications and evaluations of project-based teaching.

Health Determinants

Purpose This study focuses on three major healthy people UAE domains aiming to investigate key health issues, including context, current burden, problems, domain development, and challenges. It outlines an objective for addressing health issue determinants, defines attainable goals, and establishes indicators for progress measurement.
 Methodology In order to collect data and analyze the interpretations of the current burden, we conducted a literature review using previous studies, analyzed the variables and factors to address the problem, and finally set goals and indicators aiming to achieve the targets.
 Findings Previous studies have demonstrated the significance of lifestyle-related diseases, life expectancy, health care services, health domains, and their challenges. Still, they lack initiatives and indicators for measuring the health outcome's progress. In this paper, we discuss goals that can be achieved and indicators that can be used to track development toward a more desirable state for the UAE population.

Schrödinger-Heisenberg Variational Quantum Algorithms.

Recent breakthroughs have opened the possibility of intermediate-scale quantum computing with tens to hundreds of qubits, and shown the potential for solving classical challenging problems, such as in chemistry and condensed matter physics. However, the high accuracy needed to surpass classical computers poses a critical demand on the circuit depth, which is severely limited by the non-negligible gate infidelity, currently around 0.1%-1%. The limited circuit depth places restrictions on the performance of variational quantum algorithms (VQA) and prevents VQAs from exploring desired nontrivial quantum states. To resolve this problem, we propose a paradigm of Schrödinger-Heisenberg variational quantum algorithms (SHVQA). Using SHVQA, the expectation values of operators on states that require very deep circuits to prepare can now be efficiently measured by rather shallow circuits. The idea is to incorporate a virtual Heisenberg circuit, which acts effectively on the measurement observables, into a real shallow Schrödinger circuit, which is implemented realistically on the quantum hardware. We choose a Clifford virtual circuit, whose effect on the Hamiltonian can be seen as efficient classical processing. Yet, it greatly enlarges the state's expressivity, realizing much larger unitary t designs. Our method enables accurate quantum simulation and computation that otherwise are only achievable with much deeper circuits or more accurate operations conventionally. This has been verified in our numerical experiments for a better approximation of random states, higher-fidelity solutions to the XXZ model, and the electronic structure Hamiltonians of small molecules. Thus, together with effective quantum error mitigation, our work paves the way for realizing accurate quantum computing algorithms with near-term quantum devices.

Antardvandva: in Urvashi Khandakavya

This article examines the development of conflict in the characters of Siddhicharan Shrestha's Urvashi Khandakavya. Urvashi was captivated by Arjun's brilliance and courage after he reached Indralok, who was in exile, and she was attracted by his arrival. She intends to accomplish her mission by entering Arjuna's bedroom in a state of desire. Khandakavya is based on the context of Arjuna, who is on the verge of attaining the goals of truth, justice, and victory by mastering his senses. Due to Arjuna and Urvashi's divergent aspirations, conflict has developed in the Khandakavya. Based on subheadings, this article analyzes the topic introduction, conflict theory, historical context of conflict, categories of conflict, conflict in Urvashi Khandakavya, positive-positive conflict, negative-negative conflict, positive-negative conflict, etc. What kinds of problems do the poem's protagonists face? The conclusion has been reached that there is a contradiction between poetry and the academic problem-solving endeavor.

NEPAD and the Challenge of Africa’s Development:

Abstract:The critical necessity of development for Africa in the 21ˢᵗ century is an issue around which there is considerable consensus. There is, however, little agreement on the nature of the crisis, the required development framework, and the ‘desired state’. In the context of the debate, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has been promoted by its authors and sponsors as Africa’s development blueprint for meeting its development challenges. Much of the criticism of NEPAD has focused, procedurally, on the lack of consultation in its drafting, and, paradigmatically, on its neo- liberal content, the same set of policy instruments that have damaged Africa over the last 20 years. The latter underscores the sense of betrayal that comes through civil society resistance to NEPAD. The question though is this: Why would a group of African leaders, who seem genuine in their concerns, take responsibility for such policy framework? The paper seeks an explanation in the complex interaction between a set of developments since 1980: the neo-liberal hegemony at the level of state policymaking, internal policy atrophy, coercive power of compliance, but equally the new constituencies (class forces) that have been thrown up in the last two decades – within the state, economy, and importantly the civil society in sub-Saharan Africa. Much of the latter is premised on the ‘death of the emancipatory project’ and the dominant politics of the petty bourgeois class in Africa. It is in this sense that we understanding NEPAD as a class project, hence, its import.Introduction

Multiplicity and not necessarily heterogeneity: implications for the long-run degree of capacity utilization

The paper discusses the implications of disaggregation within the post-Keynesian debate on the long-run convergence of the degree of capacity utilization toward the normal one. The debate is related to the emergence of Harrodian instability inside multiplier–accelerator models and has been characterized by two “opposite” positions: the supermultiplier (SM) and the neo-Kaleckian approaches. These approaches solve the instability issue differently, but both share the postulate that an equilibrium position is such only if the desired state of firms is realized. In the long run, the economy converges toward a fully adjusted position where the realized degree of capacity utilization is equal to the normal/desired one. In this paper, we develop an Agent Based—Stock Flow Consistent version of the SM model showing that once multiplier–accelerator mechanisms are explicitly reproduced in a multi-firm economy, the accumulation process can be stable without requiring any convergence between the actual and normal rate. Conversely, the modeled economy displays two emergent properties: the fluctuations of the business cycle arise endogenously, and the long-run aggregate degree of capacity utilization persistently fluctuates around a level lower than the normal one. To this extent, the quasi-steady state corresponds to a situation where the desired state of agents is not realized and single elements are not in equilibrium, but the aggregate is. Finally, we compare outcomes produced from the model according to different scenarios on firms' heterogeneity and network symmetries.

Quantum algorithm for twin extreme learning machine

Twin extreme learning machine (TELM) is a powerful learning algorithm, which aims at learning two nonparallel hyperplanes for data classification. However, classical TELM algorithm becomes computationally expensive when it involves big data sets. In this paper, we devise a quantum TELM algorithm to address this issue. Specifically, we first utilize the quantum amplitude estimation algorithm to prepare the desired input states and then call the quantum linear systems of equations, which adopts block-encoding technique, to obtain the model parameters in the training process. Then we invoke the swap test to estimate the distances from a new data point to the two hyperplanes and then make a classification in the prediction stage. The final complexity analysis demonstrates that our algorithm has an exponential speedup under certain conditions over the classical counterpart.